A Kiss for a Smile
by Rolly-chan
Summary: The gang (minus Sakura) arrive in a new world brimming with magic. Everything seems peaceful, until Fai loses his ability to smile. It only goes down from there. (Kuro/Fai) It's actually already complete and I will upload a new chapter each day (4 plus epilogue). This is a birthday gift for a good friend of mine. Happy Birthday!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Now with scene breaks edited in! I hope I haven't confused you all too much! But I think you're all smart people and realized what was happening ;)

* * *

Fai hadn't expected things to change too drastically. He hadn't expected too great a shift in their attitudes. He _had _expected Syaoran to be a little dispirited at first, but nothing too major. He hadn't, however, expected Kurogane and his relationship to stagnate like it did.

It had progressed. Even before their departure. There was almost no need for Fai any more to fake his smiles. And Kurogane… well, Fai had this hunch that his favourite ninja tried to make him smile genuinely as often as possible, which became less and less of a challenge as time progressed.

But despite the tension that Fai felt—the kind of tension that preceded a significant change—neither of them moved forward and towards it; seemingly frozen in the space between friendship and love. And it confused Fai to the point of passivity.

"Fai! What are you daydreaming abooout?" Mokona hopped into Fai who instinctively caught her in his hands.

"Nothing much. It just seems nice here," he answered and looked around at the beauty of nature. Tall trees with winding branches grew into the sky, and perfectly green, smooth underbrush trailed around them like cloth. With the bright blue sky and warm sun casting golden light across the green tree crowns the landscape looked like a professionally created painting.

It really was beautiful. But the tingling, soft, caressing vibes that swept all around him told him another thing.

"There's magic in this world," he said, closing his eyes at the whisper of energy around him.

"Where there's magic, there are people, usually," Kurogane said, looking at Fai with a strange, unreadable expression.

"That's true," Syaoran agreed and turned to Fai, "Can you lead us there?"

"Of course." Fai smiled and got a smile in return from the boy. It seemed less forced than a week ago, almost all the way back to how it used to be.

"Come on, then! I'll be your personal wishing rod for magic!"

Mokona squealed in delight and hopped on top of his head. "Go, wishing rod!"

"I believe it's called a dowsing rod," Kurogane corrected and Fai could have sworn he saw a fleeting smirk in his expression. He couldn't help it – he cast Kurogane a bright, happy smile. But then he turned around and called, "Wishing rod, ho!"

There was nothing more fun than teasing Kurogane. If only he wouldn't instantly think about the fact that this was probably the way Kurogane wanted their relationship to be. Why else would he let it go on like this? Kurogane was direct, fierce, and honest. He didn't freak and worry about possible consequences a confession could bring along like Fai did.

Mokona jumped up and down on Fai's head and despite his negativity about that one relationship, it made him smile. They were alive, they were safe, and they were together (well, almost all of them).

He glanced back over his shoulder and looked right into Kurogane's face; Kurogane's features relaxed and his eyes crinkled slightly when the corners of Fai's mouth stretched into another smile.

Maybe he could live with it.

Fai looked back in front of him and dodged a low hanging branch. Then he stepped out of the forest between two trees and stopped.

"We're almost there," Fai said, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah, we are!" Mokona chirped happily (must have been one of his imitating techniques, otherwise Fai couldn't explain how a bunny-like creature could chirp).

"And how do _you_ know that, meatbun?" Kurogane's gruff voice drawled from behind Fai.

"Well, see for yourself," Fai said and stepped to the side to give Kurogane and Syaoran a good view of what lay in front of them.

"Wow," Syaoran breathed, and Fai could only agree.

The majority of buildings of the city in the distance were small, a few huge ones poking up, made mostly of wood, but also brick and concrete. All of the buildings' architecture was elegant and extravagant, almost all of them sprouting oriels and rounded, layered edges. As cities went, it was fairly middle-sized.

"Come on, let's find the entrance," Fai suggested and turned to the side to start walking again.

"Why can't we just walk in there?" Kurogane asked and pointed towards the seemingly open street inside, straight in front of them.

"We won't get in there. They have erected a magic shield around that city." If one concentrated and squinted a bit, one could see the faint shimmering of the cupola barrier shielding the city against threats.

"You're so good, Fai!" Mokona leapt from Fai's head over on top of Kurogane's. "Isn't he, isn't he?"

Kurogane growled and wanted to grab Mokona, but the little creature was faster and escaped, with Kurogane chasing after it.

Fai laughed and even Syaoran smiled in amusement. Yes, Fai thought, he would certainly be able to live with that. Even if it hurt like hell.

* * *

It hadn't been difficult to find the entrance and pass through—the guards welcomed them warmly but eyed Fai suspiciously, which made him feel uncomfortable enough to let Syaoran take over. They had certainly sensed his magic—just as he had sensed theirs. He just hoped they wouldn't deem him dangerous enough to try to arrest him.

Mokona gasped dramatically. "Everyone!"

She paused as everyone turned to her, and looked down the road seriously. Then her ears dropped and she smiled goofily. "I'm hungry!"

Laughing, Fai gathered the little white creature in his hands and pointed towards the first place that looked like a restaurant.

"Maybe we'll get something edible there?"

But right when Fai wanted to collect the others (especially since Kurogane still seemed to fume about Mokona), someone ran right into his back.

A high-pitched squeak resounded behind him at the impact, and while Fai recovered quickly from being pushed forward a bit, when he turned around, the girl that ran into him sat on the floor, looking dumbfounded.

"E-excuse me!" the girl stammered and avoided any eye-contact. She bit down on her bottom lip and fisted the hem of her ruched white mini skirt under which she wore tight, black knee-length leggings. Her really cute outfit and the giant ribbon on her back around her waist looked more like a costume than something you'd normally wear, but if there was something Fai had learned while traveling to so many different worlds, it was that clothes could be vastly different depending on where they were. The other people walking through the streets didn't look anything like this girl, though.

"Oh, don't worry!" Fai leaned down and wanted to help the poor girl upon her feet, but suddenly—out of the blue—Kurogane was at his side and offered his hand so quickly that Fai didn't even get to extend his own. For a moment, he stared at Kurogane confusedly. That was new. Since when did Kurogane willingly help a girl like this when she could get up herself?

"Th- thank you... I'm just in a hurry—it's my shift, you know—and, and I'm late, and..."

"Go on, we won't hold you up!" Fai told her, finally breaking out of his speechlessness, after watching Kurogane pull her up.

The girl rushed right into the restaurant Fai had suggested. What a coincidence.

"What a coincidence!" Mokona chirped and hopped onto Syaoran's shoulder. "Let's go, let's go!"

Kurogane grumbled and followed suit without another glance at Fai and Fai was left completely confused. What the hell had just happened?

* * *

Fai still reeled from Kurogane's strange behavior when they entered the restaurant and sat down around a table. Clearly, the ninja was irritated by something, but what could that be? He had been calm only moments before.

"Do you think they have a library here?" Syaoran asked, a dreamy expression on his face.

"There must be. This city's big and I haven't yet heard of a developed magical society without books about it. Magic isn't that easy to wield and it can turn sour fast if you don't know what you're doing." Fai smiled at him, hoping his initial depression about having to be apart from Sakura-chan would dissipate sooner rather than later. Though he could understand why it was so painful. But Syaoran never complained or asked why it had to be him who couldn't have anything normal.

Fai suppressed a sigh when he thought about how weak he himself was in comparison. Why couldn't he just confess to Kurogane without fearing the worst? He knew he could trust Kurogane not to hurt him needlessly... An approaching waitress interrupted Fai in his racing train of thought.

"May I take your or- oh my!"

Fai saw Kurogane's sour face before he looked up and recognized the girl. It was the same one they had bumped into just before they came here. Apparently, all the waitresses in this restaurant wore dresses such as hers, Fai noticed when he inconspicuously looked around the place. He waved a hand at her and flashed her a smile.

"It's you! I'm so sorry again! Let me make it up to you all with free drinks – would that be all right?"

Her cheeks flushed when she returned Fai's smile and she nervously played around with the hem of her apron she was now sporting too.

"That would be very nice," Syaoran replied, obviously beaming at her to make her feel comfortable.

"Would you, er, what can I bring you?" she asked again, flushing even harder, and pulled a writing feather and a small piece of parchment out of the leather belt she wore around her waist, waiting for their order.

They didn't quite know what kinds of meals hid behind the fancy names on the menu, so they just asked the girl what she would recommend. Kurogane stayed grumpy the whole time, which Fai couldn't quite understand. It was also making the poor girl even more nervous.

"Don't worry about Kuro-tan," Fai told her, leaning in conspiratorially and grinning at Kurogane, who returned it with a deathglare, "he's always grumpy, but he's got a soft heart." _Or else he wouldn't have cared so much for a lost cause like me_, he added in his head, now sending the ninja a genuine smile, which seemed to calm him a little.

The girl chuckled, thanked them with a low bow, and folded the order twice, after which the parchment disappeared like it had never been there in the first place. Syaoran and Kurogane blinked at that in confusion, and Fai snickered at their blank expressions before the girl, probably confused by their confusion, rushed towards the next customer.

"The parchment probably teleported to the kitchen, you know," Fai said, still grinning amusedly.

"So they can prepare our order real quick!" Mokona squeaked from between Fai and Kurogane, and Fai laughed at him. Syaoran soon followed – even Kurogane displayed a grin at Mokona's perpetual hunger.

It was nice, laughing with his best friends. It felt more like a family than Ashura ever did, and that was saying something. And it still amazed him how happy he could feel, after that long time of false smiles and twisted memories, and the belief that he would never find happiness.

When the laughter slowly faded, a soft smile lingered on Fai's face that he just couldn't stop from forming – not that he wanted to. And Kurogane noticed, Fai knew, and in moments like these, Fai really thought there was more behind that faint smile than feelings of friendship. It almost felt like they were on the same page.

Almost.

Then the moment was gone and the slow flow of time accelerated again, and everything went on normally, just like always. It didn't quite break his happy mood, but it did throw a small shadow on it.

The waitress returned just when they were discussing possible places to stay, several plates with food floating behind her.

"E- ex-, uhm, excuse me, but, uhm, if you're looking for a place to stay..." she seemed to collect her self-confidence, "there's the Sunbright Inn just down the street. I, uhm, know the owner. If you tell her I recommended her, she'll give you a discount."

The girl blushed and averted her eyes, fidgeting around. Kurogane—having been in a nice enough mood after she had left—immediately sobered up and looked grim again. But why did he dislike that girl so much?

"Thank you," Fai told her with a smile and she instantly beamed at him. Maybe she still felt guilty about bumping into him?

She put their floating meals down on the table by making distinct motions with her hands, earning happy squeals from Mokona, and rushed forward to the next table, the remaining floating meals following her.

Mokona made a big commotion about the food, pulling Fai and Syaoran into a fun conversation. Surreptitious glances told Fai that Kurogane was the only one here who listlessly poked at his meal.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I completely forgot the character restrictions on ffnet (no stars and all), so I've only now edited the first chapter again to actually put in scene breaks. Sorry for that!

And thanks for following and reviewing! :D

* * *

Dust particles danced in the orange sunlight filtering through the large, dark wood-framed windows, occasionally blocked by passersby, lost in the books they were reading. The gigantic ground floor seemed smaller than it was because of the huge shelves stacked with rows upon rows of books that emitted soft waves of magic. People and creatures walked quietly among the shelves, looking for books; some sat at the massive wooden tables at the ends of every other row, reading in silence. The only sounds were the flapping of pages being turned and the occasional whispering.

Fai perched on the edge of one of the tables and watched Syaoran brushing his hand over the spines of the leather-bound books in the history section. His eyes sparkled and his smile broadened when he seemed to have found a particularly interesting one. He seemed genuinely happy, and once Fai had made sure the kid was thoroughly engrossed, he let his gaze wander.

He noticed an interesting section a few rows behind Syaoran, and stood. When he passed the boy, he ruffled his hair, eliciting a happy chuckle. Then he found himself standing in front of the potions section, staring blankly at the vast number of potion books. There were so many, he didn't think he would be able to read them all, even if he could read one page per second. But he knew what he wanted to look for, and with the particular kind of magic the books were enchanted with, they found him before he could find them, drawing his attention up and to the left, where he instantly reached for the one book with the simplest title — _Healing Potions_.

He ignored the subtitle and just flipped it open, reading the headlines of all the sections listed in the index, from _Illness Lifting Potions_ through _Reversing Curses_. The thick tome seemed to address almost everything.

A heavy hand settled on his shoulder and Fai let out a quiet 'eek' before turning and looking straight into Kurogane's face.

"You startled me!" Fai whispered, playfully clasping his hand in the fabric right above his heart.

"What are you reading?" Kurogane asked, suspiciously glancing at the title of the book in Fai's hand. Upon reading it, an alarmed expression crossed Kurogane's face, but Fai quickly set out to explain.

"Oh—that's not—you know, I'm just... interested in healing potions." Fai noticed himself how unconvincing that just sounded. Kurogane's blank stare only confirmed it. He sighed.

"I guess I'll have to explain this."

"You bet," Kurogane agreed, arms crossed. He looked like a heavy stone statue you couldn't move an inch, and Fai probably really couldn't, even if he tried with all his might. He wouldn't get out of this one unless he did explain.

"Uhm, well, you know I can't cast any healing spells, right?"

Kurogane nodded, then stilled, and his eyes went wide as if realizing something.

"So when I was younger, I used to read all kinds of books on healing potions, so I could... well, help people heal, even if I couldn't with my magic."

Kurogane just stared at Fai, and he slowly began to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"I remember," Kurogane suddenly said and his face went... soft, and it looked like he was smiling although he actually wasn't, and Fai realized Kurogane was smiling with his heart—it made him melt a little inside.

There was this feeling again, like they were on the same page, just looking at each other, and Kurogane seemed to steadily come closer until his face blocked everything out of Fai's vision, and all he could see were his strong, red eyes, burning right through him.

Then someone passed them and coughed inconspicuously, and the moment was broken. Fai stared a bit nervously at Kurogane and there was an awkward moment of silence between them, before Kurogane cleared his throat. It was one of the few times when Fai saw the ninja actually flustered, and it planted a smile on his face, like so often.

"He was right, though," Kurogane whispered. The mention of Ashura didn't stir any sad feelings in Fai anymore, which surprised him a little. He would have expected to mourn him a little longer, since he had been a kind of foster father for him, and the only person beside the real Fai that Fai had ever considered family until he had met his companions. On the other hand, it was probably all thanks to his friends. Thanks to Kurogane, especially, who had held on to Fai when he had given up on himself.

"Your smile—your genuine one—is quite enough."

Fai chuckled quietly. "That's not what he said."

But he sensed that Kurogane wanted to change the topic, never one to dwell in the past, so he dropped that course of conversation.

"See? They've almost all kinds of healing potions. My favorites have always been the illness lifting ones. They're easy to brew but very potent."

Kurogane quirked a brow but said nothing otherwise, the ghost of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

"I have never found a cure for the curse, though," Fai admitted a little wistfully. "When I first found a book on antidotes for curses, I had hoped to find one for me, but it turns out it's only for curses caused by potions. They're actually the hardest to counter."

Kurogane stepped beside him and suddenly, there was a weight pressing against his shoulder. Taken by surprise, Fai stiffened, then didn't dare move the slightest bit out of fear that Kurogane's totally out-of-character move would be over as soon as he did. Maybe... maybe they finally _were_ moving forward. And if they were, didn't it mean Fai _could_ dare?

He relaxed against Kurogane, carelessly flapping pages around, until he grew tired of the monotonous motion, stopped and just lay his head on Kurogane's shoulder. He didn't see or notice any reaction, but he could feel his own heart flutter, so he closed his eyes to relish this moment.

"Love potions?" Kurogane suddenly asked, sounding a bit skeptical, and Fai could only too well imagine how he quirked his brows. Not raising his head, he replied.

"Yes, there's even something like that out there. You interested?" Fai teased. "Who do you want to fall in love with you?"

Kurogane gave him a low growl—just like the dog Fai nicknamed him as—and moved away from Fai, robbing the mage of his pillow.

Well, it was his own fault, but Fai just couldn't resist teasing Kurogane. Too bad the ninja never fell for Fai's innocent grin.

"Even if there was someone I 'wanted to fall in love with me'", Kurogane said, choosing his words carefully, "I wouldn't resort to such underhand tactics." He kept looking at Fai, amused by something. "Unlike _somebody_."

The pleasant fluttering of Fai's heart morphed into a frantic hammering when he comprehended that first sentence Kurogane said. Fai didn't know what to make of that. Did Kurogane know that Fai already loved him and it meant Kurogane loved him back, or did it mean that Kurogane just wasn't interested in anyone? Or did he maybe have someone already? Maybe his princess Tomoyo-chan?

Fai could have pulled his hair if Kurogane's intense gaze hadn't transfixed him.

"Mage, what are you thinking about again?"

And he was still as sharp as ever. Fai needed to think, quickly, how to escape that situation.

"Nothing in particular," Fai answered, breaking eye contact. He knew he was probably over-thinking things big time again, but it was so hard to brush off old habits. He was aware of his dysfunctional thinking now, though, and he could choose to change his reaction, couldn't he?

So Fai stepped closer towards Kurogane, trying to show the ninja that he wasn't running anymore, and would never do that again. When Fai looked up, Kurogane was smiling at him—a paper-thin smile, but a smile nonetheless. It said all that he needed to know.

Kurogane looked like he was about to say something, but a small white ball hit him in the back and squeaked, causing Kurogane to growl.

"Meatbun..." he said dangerously, and the small creature 'eek'ed and jumped on Fai's head.

"Fai-mommy, save me!"

Chuckling, Fai took Mokona in his arms, cuddling her like a child. "Aw, don't be so violent with our child, Kuro-daddy," Fai teased, playing along. Even Kurogane only growled in annoyance because it had become a habit. Fai could see that he enjoyed their little easy banter just as much as everyone else involved.

"I'm hungry, let's go eat!" Mokona piped up, jiggling her ears.

"Always thinking about food, aren't you?" Fai said, laughing. "Let's find Syaoran-kun and go."

Mokona squealed in delight and jumped ahead. Thankfully, she remembered to be quiet when calling for Syaoran, although she got several angry stares from other visitors on her way.

Fai and Kurogane followed her, the ninja muttering something that suspiciously sounded like 'why don't we just eat you, meatbun', and Fai thinking he could really get used to this. Whatever 'this' exactly meant...

* * *

The _Sunbright Inn _looked every bit the name it had. There was a magically glowing, rotating sun over the entrance. Its huge black eyes followed the people close by and occasionally, it even talked.

When Fai approached the otherwise elegant hardwood entrance together with his friends, the sun's eye zeroed in on him.

"Welcome, huns. You seem to be pretty strong, young mage," it said, the cheery smile never leaving its face.

"Maybe I am, but I'm not that young any more," Fai replied, chuckling at the sun's comment.

"A talking sun!" Mokona squealed.

Syaoran's eyes sparkled as he took that strange sight in, and Kurogane kept throwing the thing suspicious glances before ushering them all in.

They entered into a cosy, little lobby. A deep red carpet led from the entrance door to the reception desk, three beige armchairs and a beige couch circled a long, wavy hardwood table to the left, and a decorated staircase wound up to the upper floors. The eyes of the portraits on the walls to each side seemed to be following Fai and it was only thanks to their friendly faces that Fai didn't felt creeped out.

"Welcome!" a young woman from the reception greeted them equally warmly, waiting patiently and almost with the same smile as the enchanted sun. Fai wondered if it _was _her smile; the magic certainly felt very much like hers. The woman's gaze stayed a little longer on Fai than on the others.

"Good evening, we are looking for a place to stay and a nice girl named Lydia recommended the _Sunbright Inn_," Syaoran spoke, stepping right in front of the desk, while Fai and Kurogane stopped just behind him.

"Oh, Liddy told you? She's a real honey," the woman said, and her smile turned even warmer, if that was even possible, "Did she by any chance bump into any of you?" She almost chuckled, probably at the identical surprised expressions on their faces.

"Yes, she did," Fai answered when he recovered from the small surprise.

"She tends to be a bit clumsy, but her heart is pure gold. That's how we met, too. She bumped into me and then invited me for a tea," the woman said, then regarded Fai before speaking. "You must be pretty popular, hun. What's your names?"

"My name is Fai, and these two are Syaoran and Kurogane," Fai answered, since she was looking at him.

Mokona jumped on the desk before Fai could introduce her. "I'm Mokona!"

"Oh, what a cute creature you have!" the woman cooed and let Mokona shake her finger before she continued, "Nice to meet you all! I'm Cordelia, but call me Deli. Let me take a look at the bookings, I'm sure to find you something suitable. You'll get a discount, of course, since it was Liddy who told you to come. How many rooms?"

"Two, please," Syaoran answered as always.

She reached her hand beside her and suddenly, a book came flying from behind her, right into it. The pages magically flipped open and soon Cordelia seemed to have found what she was looking for.

"Two rooms on the second floor, number fifteen and, right across from it, number twenty. They're to the left."

"Perfect," Syaoran said and let her give them the keys, before they all climbed the winding staircase and went to inspect their rooms.

Upon reaching them, they naturally split up into Syaoran and Mokona, who walked (or, in Mokona's case, were carried) into room number fifteen, and Fai and Kurogane. Fai was the first to walk into their number. It gave off the same cosy, comfortable air as the lobby had, with two beds standing on opposite sides at the walls, a long wardrobe with sliding doors, a small commode with an oval-shaped mirror hanging above it, wine-red curtains drawn back with golden cords, and the floor even had a fitting wine-red carpet. They could do without the two portraits hanging here as well. When Fai took off his shoes and stepped on it, he didn't really want to get off again.

"Kuro-sama, you should try the carpet. It's so _soft_!"

But when Kurogane didn't reply, Fai turned to find himself face to face with the ninja, and his heart skipped a beat, only to come back with the force of an avalanche. They stood so close that Kurogane only needed to lean down a little and their lips would touch, just like that.

"What's with all those people and things sensing the strength of your magic?" Kurogane asked, looking serious.

Fai decided not to joke this time. "We can sense another person's magic, and if it's strong, we can sense that too."

Kurogane didn't seem pleased with that answer, which only confused Fai. Had he said something wrong?

"And in your world, the magical power is what makes you popular?"

Fai stared at him, trying to comprehend the meaning of this question. Finally, he decided it was safe to joke and grinned at the ninja.

"What's wrong, Kuro-tan? Jealous that you're not the popular one?" he asked, chuckling. But this bubbling sensation didn't stop there when Kurogane growled, and Fai burst out laughing, steadying himself with one hand on Kurogane's shoulder.

Fai didn't remember the last time he had laughed so freely, so he didn't attempt to stop it. He was probably shaking so bad that Kurogane grabbed his shoulders to keep him in place. It felt nice, standing so close and almost being hugged by no other but Kurogane.

His laughter soon subsided, leaving his face tingly, but Kurogane still didn't let go. Fai didn't know where his sudden courage came from, but he leaned forward and rested his forehead against Kurogane's chest, closing his eyes. Just a little bit, he thought. But that _little bit _was abruptly interrupted by their door banging open and Mokona jumping in.

They both quickly let go to stare at the small white creature.

"Kuro-daddy was hugging Fai-mommy! Kyaa! A tender moment!"

"Meatbun!" Kurogane growled darkly and sprinted after the squealing Mokona who jumped all over the room. Then Syaoran entered the room, a panicked expression on his face, surely for having let Mokona get away, and Fai just couldn't help himself—he started laughing again.

* * *

Fai and Syaoran exchanged a glance as they settled at the same table in the same cafe they had been the previous day. Today, pink hearts holding small candles floated under the ceiling and red decorations set fitting accents to the overall look of the cafe.

Kurogane seemed to purposely avoid Fai's looks, and the ninja had an expression that screamed "why do we have to be here again?". Even Fai felt a bit uneasy about the decorations, especially because Lydia had invited them for free drinks again, and Fai couldn't shake the feeling that she had been talking more to him than to their whole group. Lydia certainly gave off the impression that she had planned this, pink hearts and all.

"Sure looks... lovely today," Fai said, almost snickering. At least there was still _some _fun in this. Even if it looked like out of a love story written by a heart-struck teenager. Or maybe exactly because of that.

Kurogane grunted in disapproval but didn't say anything, and his sour face caused Fai's suppressed snicker to break out.

"What are you laughing at?" Kurogane asked darkly, glaring at Fai, who couldn't help but keep grinning like a madman. Kurogane was just too hilarious!

"H-here are y-your drinks..." Lydia had suddenly popped up with their drinks floating in the air behind her. She bit her lip and looked everywhere but into their eyes. Today, she had a pink apron instead of a white one from the day before.

"Thank you." Syaoran smiled politely at her, but Lydia only paid attention to Fai. She let the drinks float to their designated places, all the while wringing her hands and looking down.

Fai contemplated thanking her as well, but he wasn't so sure if that wouldn't give her the wrong idea. Plus, Kurogane seemed to be in a really foul mood again. Fai got the feeling that it was related to Lydia's presence.

"You, uhm... you have new... clothes," Lydia remarked, blushing a little. She really was nervous and shy, huh? Fai couldn't help but smile at her to make her feel better. He sipped his warm drink that was called by a strange name he didn't remember, and instantly turned towards Lydia again.

"This is delicious!"

Lydia turned red and wrung her hands again, stepping from one foot to the other. Why did she seem even worse than the day before? It didn't make all that much sense. She hadn't even stuttered when she had invited them over again. And shouldn't people feel more comfortable around each other the longer they knew one another?

Lydia bowed to them and excused herself, taking orders from the people at the next table. She seemed much less nervous with the strangers. Maybe... maybe she really did have a thing for Fai. He sighed when he realized that he probably would have to turn the girl down, because if her nervousness and the decor were any indicator, she planned to confess to him.

"What's wrong, Fai-mommy?" Mokona asked, jumping on his shoulder, but Fai just patted her head.

"I just realized something, but don't worry," he said. Mokona smooched him and jumped back, giggling. Kurogane also seemed to have calmed down, now that Lydia was elsewhere. But something felt a little odd.

"Fai is a fast drinker!" Mokona suddenly squealed, and Fai noticed that he really had already downed the drink.

"What can I say? It _was _tasty."

Mokona proceeded to show that she, too, could be a fast drinker, almost stealing Syaoran's drink, but Kurogane stopped her in time for the boy to save it from the "meatbun's" clutches. Mokona's laughter, as always, proved to be infectious.

Then Lydia appeared again, looking more nervous than ever. "Uhm... was it to your liking?"

Of course, it was Syaoran again who replied first, and again politely, that they were indeed pleased. But Lydia's eyes were trained on Fai the whole time, until she took a deep breath and closed them for a moment. When she opened them again, she seemed determined.

"Uhm... Fai-san... I... like you and... would you go out with me?"

So Fai had been right. She really did confess to him. And he really wanted to answer to that... but Fai felt so dizzy and tired... what was the question again?

"Fai-san?"

"Oi! What's wrong?"

"Fai-mommy!"

"Oh no!"

But Fai's head simply slipped down onto the table with a soft thud, knocking over his empty glass. Then everything just

blurred

out...


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** As always, thank you all so much for following and reviewing! You're awesome!

* * *

When Fai woke up, he didn't open his eyes. He was lying on something very soft and very comfortable, probably a bed. And despite being awake, he felt so incredibly tired he thought he might just keep lying there and drifting off again. His arms and legs felt so heavy and like this, tucked in and warm, he didn't want to move at all, not even his eyelids. It was just too comfy.

"When will he wake up?" someone murmured a short distance away from him and Fai immediately tensed up, only to relax just after again, having realized it was Syaoran's voice.

"I think he already is awake," Kurogane grunted, not at all trying to keep his voice down. It sure did have the effect the ninja probably had intended.

Fai cracked one eye open, while keeping the other squeezed shut. Thankfully, someone had dimmed the light in the room, and when Fai took a moment to look around, seeing the dark wooden ceiling and the typical burgundy curtains, he knew he was back in the inn. Then his eye settled on Kurogane, who was nearest to him.

"What happened?" Fai croaked, his voice raspy. From what, he didn't know.

"You fell unconscious in the cafe," Kurogane replied curtly, delivering only the essentials.

"After Lydia-" Syaoran said and after one look at Kurogane's grumpy face, he finished, "- talked to you."

Fai really didn't like to be lying down like this, looking up at his friends. He wanted to be on an equal level, so he willed himself to at least get his upper body up and propped against the pillow, but it took so much of his willpower to do so that he actually felt exhausted after. What was wrong with him? Had he been drugged?

"Fai-san? What's wrong?" Syaoran asked and he sounded very worried. Fai didn't know whether he should or shouldn't be.

"I don't know. I feel so weak somehow. And tired."

"Did you get ill, Fai-mommy?" he heard Mokona say and the next instant the small white creature landed softly in his lap. She looked up at him with her ears hanging down.

"I don't feel ill... just tired..."

Fai couldn't help but wonder what Kurogane was thinking. Looking at him, his face only revealed that he wasn't happy with the situation. But then again, Kurogane always looked a little grumpy. Did he worry about Fai too, or was it maybe that he didn't care at all?

"Maybe you'll feel better if you rest for now," Syaoran suggested, a hopeful expression on his face.

"Maybe," Fai replied, but he didn't really believe that. Whatever it was, it must have been done on purpose.

"There really must be something wrong," Mokona suddenly chirped up and everyone looked at her, waiting for her to go on. "Fai... why aren't you smiling?"

Fai sat still for a moment, contemplating what Mokona had said. He wasn't smiling? He supposed that was true. His face felt tired, too. But for Mokona's sake, he went and forced a smile on.

Or tried. Because the corners of his mouth didn't move an inch.

"Fai?"

"I can't smile." Fai looked down at Mokona, eyes wide and a strange feeling sinking in his stomach. There might be this possibility...

"What do you mean, you can't smile?" It was Kurogane who asked, a bit gruffly, but it wasn't like Fai hadn't expected that question.

"I'm unable to. I just tried to smile and nothing happened."

A weird sort of silence stretched out in which probably all of them thought about this implication. Fai himself had a hunch what it could be, but it was absurd. Shouldn't Lydia know better than to try this without getting to know Fai a little better?

"Ah!" Mokona exclaimed suddenly, "Fai also wasn't smiling after the drinks!" She looked up at him excitedly, and Fai really wished he could express his warm feeling towards her through a smile. But as it was, he patted her head softly. What she said only strengthened his suspicion, and he sighed.

"That's true," Syaoran added. "When we were all laughing, you weren't. You weren't even smiling."

Kurogane kept staring at Fai with a thoughtful expression, and Fai really didn't want to think about all the possible ways the ninja hated him right now. Especially since it was unreasonable.

"I think I know what's wrong," he said, mostly to distract himself. And it was sure to get him everyone's attention. He sighed again, bracing himself against what he would say next.

"I fear Lydia slipped a love potion into my drink."

If he hadn't been feeling so weak and tired, he would probably find the reactions of his friends hilarious. But when he looked at Syaoran's grown comically wide, fish-like, Kurogane's eyebrows climbing off his forehead, and Mokona pulling on her ears, he didn't even feel remotely amused. Things were seriously troublesome.

"L-love potion?" Syaoran repeated, blushing lightly around the nose. "What, uhm, are the effects? Shouldn't you, I mean, isn't a love potion supposed to make you fall in love with someone?"

That was true, of course. But love potions could become nasty real quick and mess up someone's life quite seriously. Fai had witnessed their effects in the past. He had seen witches and wizards and mages become infatuated, but like with every potion, its effects were bound to fizzle out, and it always resulted in ugly break-ups.

But he had also seen the alternative.

"Love potions can backfire..."

In response to everyone throwing him questioning glances, Fai wanted to roll his eyes, but he felt it would be too much of a hassle.

"Common symptoms include tiredness, low mood, depression, the inability to smile, heartache and frequent outbursts in crying," Fai listed, and his friends listened quietly. Kurogane's expression stayed blank, almost guarded, and Fai couldn't explain the sudden painful contraction of his heart, even though he had just listed it as a symptom.

"Why did it go wrong?" Mokona asked. Of course they would want to know. For Fai it was perfectly clear, but his friends weren't familiar with magic and potions.

"Love potions go wrong regularly because those making them often don't take into account that their victim might be in love already. The love potion is then clashing with the person's already established feelings. It's all quite logical. Love potions are supposed to _create _feelings, they cannot _change _them. But the substance is inside the organism and because it can't work the way it's supposed to, it acts like a poison. Not a deadly one, but it has side-effects."

He felt everyone stare daggers at him. Maybe he shouldn't have told them the little tidbit about him already being in love. It was bound to raise questions. But the emphasized silence weirded him out, as he could almost hear the others think.

"Fai-mommy is _in looove_!" Mokona finally squealed excitedly, then leered at Kurogane, who instantly rose from his seat and growled at the white creature.

"I warn you, meatbun!"

Mokona chuckled mysteriously and snuggled up to Fai's chest, knowing full well Kurogane would stop there. Sly little creature.

"Uhm, Fai-san, what can we do now?"

Fai thought about that for a while.

"Find a counter, probably," Fai answered, and by his friends' expressions knew he shouldn't have added this little unnecessary word "probably".

"Maybe asking Lydia for help wouldn't be a bad idea. She was the one who brew it, so she might help you with the antidote."

At this, Kurogane actually growled. "She's the one who made this happen, like hell I'll ask her for help!"

Fai felt tears coming to his eyes, although he hadn't wanted to cry. These side effects surely would be the death of him. If only he could get out of this the easy way. And not feel like Kurogane was just trying to make life easier for himself and not worrying about him. It was stupid, and he knew it was the love potion... but how long till he couldn't see the difference any more?

"Fai?" Mokona squeaked and patted his cheek, but for some reason, that made it worse and the tears flowed.

"Sorry..." Fai said, rubbing at his eyes. Just his luck to get the whole palette of symptoms. "It's the... the potion's effects..." And his heart shouldn't have hurt so much. He was really pathetic.

But Mokona didn't care and just hugged his face, being too small to hug him entirely.

"Thanks, my friend," Fai said before turning to the others again, "I'm not sure if I'll be of much help, and Lydia is probably the only one willing to help who also understands and knows magic... you'll have to ask her."

"What do you mean, you'll not be of much help?" Kurogane pressed on. Of course he wouldn't understand what it meant to have a love potion poisoning—although Fai presumed the effects weren't as bad as some other potions. He sighed.

"Imagine I'll go with you to the library and suddenly start crying loudly—which could happen at any time. The librarians will kick me out without any sympathy. And if you're unlucky, they'll throw you out along with me."

Kurogane growled and sat back down, arms crossed and looking every bit the grumpy ninja that he must seem to everyone at first glance.

"She's your best bet right now."

* * *

Kurogane was scowling, and he was very aware of that fact. He had scowled at the receptionist of the library, who had visibly flinched at that, he had scowled at everyone who had dared to somehow appear in his way, and he may have made a little boy cry, but Kurogane didn't care at all right now.

"Kuro... gane," Syaoran panted behind him. He sounded out of breath, and the panting of the damn girl responsible for this stupid situation told him they were both trying hard to keep up with his long and fast strides. He still didn't care enough to slow down. He had a mission, and that mission was to cure Fai from the damn love potion as quickly as possible, patience be damned.

He didn't stop until he had reached the aisle he had been in with Fai the last time. Where the mage had found _Healing Potions_. Kurogane was so grateful for his keen observation skills. Grateful for the fact he had been so attentive when they had been here. Because he remembered well where he had to go and even where the damn book was and how it looked like, down to the color and state of its cover. He recognized the frayed leather of the tome and immediately reached for it, pulling it out unrelentingly and flipping it open.

From the corner of his eye he saw Syaoran and the girl catch up to him, Lydia bending down to breathe and Syaoran just looking at Kurogane with a metaphorical question mark in his face. He wanted to roll his eyes at them, but he didn't think he had the time even for that.

"What are you waiting for? Go and do some research!" he hissed before moving his attention back to the table of contents of the book. He soon found the pages he was looking for, a clear and to the point headline—_Love Potions_. He took a moment to curse the person who invented them, then quickly flipped the book to those pages, until he saw the bronze pot with the distinctly red liquid in it and pink fumes surrounding it.

He wanted to start reading, he really did, but the stare in his back felt much too heavy to ignore. "What?"

Lydia came around him to stand face to face. She was worrying her bottom lip and had her arms crossed in front of her chest, muscles tense. She seemed intimidated and nervous. Good. Kurogane had decided he hated her, even after her seemingly sincere apology in the hall of the inn in front of their room—their luck none of the other guests had dared to step into the hall then. She might as well fear him, because he certainly didn't want her to think for one second he would forgive her for this stupid complication.

"I, uh..." she started, but looked like she had suddenly lost her confidence, looking at Kurogane's chest forlornly. It almost annoyed him more than her constantly whipping foot. "I have... you know, seen... uhm... how to say this?"

"Spit it out," Kurogane growled, quickly losing his patience. He had someone to save. Someone very important, whom he didn't want to lose his mind because of a silly girl. Several people threw some "shh"s his way, along with a few glares, but Kurogane ignored them.

Lydia closed her eyes and took a deep breath—probably to prepare herself, the scaredy cat. "I've seen you two together, I watched you from the door, and I think Fai-san lo-, uhm, loves you."

Kurogane blinked at her, once, twice. Then he groaned and tried to make it silent enough not to disturb anyone to take action. He seemed to have succeeded.

"The hell are you on about? Of course he does," Kurogane hissed again and felt a little accomplished when Lydia flinched. He knew that. It wasn't new information. He had noticed every small thing the mage did and the only thing all of it added up to was that he was in love with Kurogane. That wasn't the problem. The problem was to cure him from an idiotic potion created by and made for idiots.

He glared a little more at the girl and started reading the section on counters.

"You'll only find one cure for this potion in that book," Lydia said quietly, but it fulfilled its purpose—Kurogane stopped reading and looked at her, this time expectantly and not like he wanted to murder her on the spot.

"I'm all ears," he pressed out, trying not to sound too angry. Lydia didn't seem fazed this time, though.

"The only way to cure it would be for you to kiss him."

Kurogane blinked at her once again, then snapped the book shut a bit too forcefully so it made a little too much noise and people, once again, shushed and glared at him. He still didn't care.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?!"

Lydia took an involuntary step backwards at the harsh tone, but answered nonetheless. "I- I wasn't sure if... if it was really you, or if... I don't know?"

Rolling his eyes he pushed the tome back into its place and turned, already hurrying towards the exit again, Lydia hot on his heels, and Syaoran soon caught up to them after noticing their absence.

"We need to go back," was all Kurogane said, before concentrating on walking as fast as he could.

* * *

The cream colored walls had faint stains. Fai had noticed, but only because he had been staring at the wall opposite his bed for hell knew how long. You tend to notice irregularities when you look long enough.

His mind was oddly blank, inconsequential thoughts racing each other, but a moment later he wouldn't remember any of them. The headboard of the bed cut harshly into his back where he was leaning against it and his back and shoulders ached for a stretch, but getting up or even moving the slightest bit would break the blank spell, Fai was sure, and that would mean he'd have to think about what was happening.

He didn't want to think about it, he really tried not to, but he was bound to eventually crack.

He was in love with Kurogane, had been for a while, and he fought against the effects of the love potion, but even he, with his strong magic, wasn't strong enough to stop it. Stop the doubt from taking roots; that Kurogane secretly hated him, or would if he ever found out.

For now, he could still recognize it as wrong, as thoughts induced by magic. But soon the line would blur and he would adopt them as his own, not being able to reason.

A knock on his door scattered his thoughts. Cordelia poked her head into the room and smiled at him before fully opening the door and hovering over the threshold as if asking for permission to enter.

"Come in," Fai said, feeling a bit guilty that he only wanted her company for distraction.

"Fai—right? How are you?" she asked and walked towards the chair beside the bed, sitting down. She never once looked away from him.

"I'm fine, all things considered." Fai squirmed a bit under her intense look. He knew Kurogane and Syaoran had told her everything because Lydia was involved, so he knew he could be open with her.

"Are you sure? You seem to be quite head over heels with that ninja, you know," she said in a conversational tone, although the intensity of her stare didn't weaken. It was the content of what she said that hit Fai like a punch to the face.

"Wha- how did you-"

Cordelia chuckled. "It's really quite obvious. You're making goo-goo eyes at him, but he's not really better with his protectiveness."

There was a moment of silence in which Fai tried to process it all. Kurogane couldn't possibly return his feelings, could he? It had to be impossible. This was Kurogane, grumpy ninja who wanted nothing more than to return to Nihon, his home, to his princess, while Fai didn't really have anywhere to go anymore with his home eradicated and all the people he once knew gone.

"He doesn't love me," Fai said and it came out shakier and sadder than he had intended. Logically, he knew it was the potion, but his heart didn't care. It constricted and his eyes started to prickle, the tears just waiting to fall.

Cordelia gave him another smile, though this one looked a bit triumphant but also forced. He couldn't blame her. It was difficult to deal with people under the effects of a backfiring love potion.

"Are you sure?" Cordelia asked, still watching him like a hawk.

"How could he possibly love me? I mean, we've been traveling together for ages, but we're just friends. There is no way it's true..." Fai gave a shaky sigh and closed his eyes against the onslaught of tears. He would _not _cry in front of this woman. Especially not because of some potion. Except he was. He could feel tears slowly rolling down his cheeks.

"Well, that's unfortunate," Cordelia said, still opting for a light tone of voice, "but I might be able to help, possibly."

Fai's head shot up at this and he blinked away the blurriness from the tears. "How?"

"Over the years," Cordelia drawled, "I have accumulated many books on spells and potions, as well as ingredients. It's a hobby of mine."

There was something bubbling inside Fai, just underneath the surface. Whether it was hope or excitement, he couldn't tell, but he wanted to believe that there was a solution to this. There just had to be. Every potion had a counter. There was a key for every potion to be reversed. There should be one for a love potion. Other than for the person he loves to kiss him, which he didn't want to force Kurogane to do, unless the ninja really wanted to.

"Can you show me?" Fai asked, noticing himself how he sounded like a kid, so hopeful and small. He didn't want to be this helpless.

"It's in the basement. Can't let my guests stumble upon it, can I?" Cordelia replied, laughing a bit. Then she smiled at him again and got up. "Let's do some research of our own, shall we?"

Fai nodded, and for the first time since he woke up, found a reason to actually get out of the bed, the tiredness not being as bad as it was when he woke up. He only wished the basement would harbor the solution they needed as he obediently followed Cordelia out of the room and down into the basement, not encountering anyone on their way. All the better, Fai thought, this way there was nobody to potentially distract them.

* * *

Cordelia hadn't lied when she said she had accumulated a huge collection over the years. Her basement was basically one half giant library and one half giant brewing laboratory. She hadn't seemed like the type to sit at home, brooding over books and following minute details of recipes. But here she was, showing Fai just that.

He wandered over to the left—the library half of the basement—and felt for the books with his magic, only to find that it didn't work as well as it used to just the other day in the official library. He frowned.

"What's wrong?" Cordelia asked, voice light, coming up behind him. "You don't look too happy about this all."

"Oh no!" Fai immediately replied, raising his hands in a placating gesture, "I just... it's another symptom of the potion. My magic is starting to act up."

Cordelia smiled like she was trying to cheer him up, but it was a bit too wide, making her look a bit crazy. He guessed she just always used her smile and probably didn't even notice when she wasn't doing it genuinely. Maybe she even couldn't do that any more, thought that would be sad. And Fai had enough to be sad about with the potion.

"Let's quickly find something to help with that, right?" Cordelia said and walked over to the far end of the line of book cases. Fai followed her.

"I should have something on love potions in this corner. It's sorted by topic, and potions altering emotions are in this section," she explained, then reached out and brushed her finger over the backs of the books, seemingly lost in the task of looking for a book on love potions. Her whole stance was tense, though, and her eyes were very wide and alert. Hell if Fai knew why.

He decided to ignore her strange behavior and started looking himself. Since his magic wasn't working right, he resorted to the same simple method Cordelia was apparently using—just reading. Fai, unlike Cordelia, actually did get lost in the task. There were so many interesting books down here, each class of potions having their own book written about them, even books on single potions. It was incredible. He had never seen private libraries like this, except in Ashura's castle and back when he and the original Fai used to sneak out at night and run around the library, playing hide and seek among the thousands of books there, in their father's castle. But castles weren't really the right comparisons.

He noticed Cordelia behind himself only a fleeting moment before something hard connected with the back of his head and his vision went black.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Double update today, because the epilogue is rather short.

* * *

Fai woke from the searing pain in the back of his head, groaning, although once he stopped focusing on it, he noticed that all of his head was throbbing, not just the back, and that his wrists burned a little. He also couldn't move his head, or the rest of his body, which, for some reason, scared him so much he threw his eyes open.

"Finally awake, huh?" Cordelia said, standing right in his line of vision, though with her back turned to him. She was doing something on the laboratory table, something that made steam rise in front of her. Probably brewing something. But Fai didn't want to think, because right now, thinking hurt.

"If you're wondering why you can't move, it's a special stunning potion. I modified it so your head is immobile but your eyes aren't."

Fai tried to process what she said and at the same time looked left and right only to confirm his suspicion that he was shackled. To the wall, most likely, which explained his standing position. His eyes started to hurt from looking so far to the sides, so he re-focused on Cordelia again.

"My eyes?" he asked, voice once again raspy, though this time also weak. Suddenly, he was overcome by flashbacks to the last time his eyes played a major role that didn't end too well for him—images of the other Syaoran overpowering him, the unbearable pain of his eye being gouged out of its socket. There was a shiver wanting to run down his spine, but the stunning potion prevented it, leaving Fai itchy and yearning for movement.

"Yes, your eyes," Cordelia repeated, sounding awfully pleased. She even let out a triumphant laugh when there was a soft puff and some smoke shot out from in front of her. "Your magic is very powerful. I want it."

Suddenly, all the small strange things about this place and Cordelia started to make sense, the little pieces falling into place, and it dawned on Fai what exactly was happening here. His heart dropped.

"You..." he croaked, still hadn't found his voice. But he didn't need to continue. Cordelia, apparently, was all too happy to do that for him.

"Yes, genius. This isn't the first time I did this. Why do you think the guards haven't caught and punished me yet? This inn is the perfect cover. Nobody would get suspicious of so much magic in a place where many magic wielders gather," she explained gleefully, raising her hand with a phial and shaking it from the wrist, like she had a lot of practice doing that. Fai didn't want to think about all the poor magicians being murdered for her thirst for power.

"Your ninja will be difficult to ward off about your disappearance later, but I think the right potion mixed into their drinks will do the trick," she continued, now turning around, but still looking at the solution in the phial in her hand instead of at Fai. And Fai... for him it still felt so surreal being here, bound to the wall by shackles and magic, unable to lift a finger, completely at Cordelia's mercy. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he was in mortal danger.

"Why..."

"Why, you ask," Cordelia cut him off, laughing sharply, "Sometimes, hon, there is no reason for the things people do. I just want your power, so I'm taking it."

She hummed when the liquid in the phial slowly changed from blue to purple, then turned towards Fai again. "You know, I rarely get the chance to tell my victims what I'm doing here, but sometimes," she looked very giddy and excited, like a kid who is bursting from the desire to boast, "Sometimes I just want to explain it all, because this, potions, brewing, is truly a form of art. It's very beautiful."

The longer he listened, the creepier Fai found her. She had to be completely mental, otherwise Fai couldn't explain her behavior. He wanted to be sick. His stomach was constricting and starting to cramp and he was still spelled immobile, which only worsened his nausea. And he really didn't want to think about what she would do to him and what that potion in her hand was for. He really didn't, but Cordelia insisted on telling him, probably unaware that it was like a mild form of torture to him. If she knew she'd surely be even more pleased.

"This potion, by the way, is what made me actively hunt magicians, witches, anyone with enough magic power," she went on, seeming intent on drawing it out, until Fai had gone mad himself, "it enhances the magic in a person's eyes before swallowing them. This is my creation. Well, I read about a different potion for absolutely boring purposes and heavily modified it until it worked just the way it should."

She stepped away from Fai again, turning her back to him. There was a pot on the table and she dumped the potion into it. Just like that. The liquid inside hissed and it cast a smile—this time genuine—on Cordelia's face. It looked creepy, like she was about to hurt someone, which was probably really the case, since she was about to take Fai's eyes.

"The best thing about this is—I can have all this power, and the guards will never get behind it. Hell, nobody ever notices the portraits watching them, nobody wonders why I always know so much. And when a few people go missing from time to time... well, that happens," she kept chatting, almost as if it was the most mundane conversation they were having. But there was something prodding at Fai's mind. Something urgent, something he knew would help him get out of this alive. He only had to think...

The guards.

Fai closed his eyes and concentrated on his magic. It wasn't much, but it was worth a try, and from the way his magic responded to him, Cordelia seemed not to have blocked it. That was careless, but Fai supposed it was his luck, and he was truly incredibly lucky. He collected the magic inside him and when he opened his eyes, he saw Cordelia's shocked face turned towards him.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed when a burst of magic energy left Fai and a second later, everything in the room—basement—started to glow an ethereal green. Like the rest of the inn that they couldn't see.

"Alerting the guards," Fai replied, trying to smirk at her but failing. For a moment there, he had forgotten he was still under the love potion.

Cordelia was seething and turned red in the face and her whole body started shaking in anger. In a few long strides she was directly in front of Fai, loosening his shackles and painfully grabbing his shoulder, before casting what Fai recognized as a teleportation spell. Just before she had finished, he became aware of his ability to move again, and thankfully, the nausea he felt ceased a little.

The next instant, they were in Fai and Kurogane's room and Cordelia healed the wound on his head.

"Well played, mage, well played. But we're not finished yet!" she told him in a low, dark voice. Then their door banged open and three guards hurried inside, their hands shimmering with magic, ready to take anyone down who dared wreak havoc.

Fai let them arrest him without a fight.

* * *

Kurogane burst into the inn, only to find it looking eerily vacant. The reception desk was empty, as was the rest of the lobby. Making a mental note to look into it, he rushed up the stairs, Syaoran and Lydia again panting behind him. When he all but stormed into his and the mage's room, he was greeted by two startled pairs of eyes. None of them Fai's.

"What's happening?" Kurogane asked warily, taking a cautious stance. Cordelia and the guard opposite her looked like they had been in conversation, but the guard quickly composed himself while Cordelia continued to give him that worried look. He didn't like it at all. But what he liked least of all was the absence of a certain mage. That couldn't mean anything good.

"Fai, he—well, his magic got a little out of control... because of the potion," Cordelia said, rubbing at her neck like she was stressed. The guard, however, still had the same pokerface every guard had in this city. At least the ones Kurogane had seen.

"We will be investigating the matter. Until then, the magician will stay with us where he can't cause any damage," the guard monotonously said. There would be no sense in trying to argue with him, so Kurogane refrained from wasting his energy like that. He was still eying them both with a frown, though he tried to relax, knowing now that Fai was relatively safe.

"Can we see him?" Syaoran asked from beside him, but the guard shook his head. "No visits until we have assessed his degree of danger. Try again in three days."

Kurogane and Syaoran watched in silence as the guard bid his curt goodbyes and left. There was nothing they could do. They had supposedly already taken Fai. Now their options were either to wait for three days, or to break in at night. Kurogane already knew what he would be doing.

Cordelia sighed audibly, then took a contemplative look at the three of them. "Do you want to sit down and have a drink? I think I need one right about now."

Syaoran and Lydia readily agreed, but Kurogane shrugged. "Not thirsty. You can go, I'll just stay here."

Cordelia walked past him, not without regarding him strangely, before leading the way out. Lydia, however, stalled a little until Cordelia and Syaoran were out of the room.

"Kurogane-san... uhm, I'm sorry. Again. I never wanted any of this to happen. And..." she lowered her voice so that Kurogane had to strain his hears to understand, "I want to help you, tonight. I'm sure you want to see him, and I know the guard who's in charge this night. Meet me outside after sunset."

With that, she was gone and Kurogane was left, once again, to wonder about how weird his life had become.

Still, he wouldn't change it for the world.

* * *

The holding cell was more comfortable than Fai had expected. In their various escapades in different worlds, he had seen the bleak, sterile cells of modern worlds with their iron, steel or laser bars and high security, and he had seen the medieval type of cells, the mold, bales of straw for beds (if there even were any) and infrequent check ups with food. In this world, people apparently still cared about the prisoners, or they took the possibility of their innocence seriously.

It was still a square chamber, but the walls were from a warmly-colored mahogany—probably for the magic properties of the wood—there was a bed with a comfortable mattress and there were no bars, just the barely-there shimmer of a shield. Fai had to give it to them, the shield was strong. If he tried really hard, he'd be able to break it, but he'd be so weakened that they'd probably immediately catch him again. Breaking out without help was futile.

He had sprawled on the bed, limbs outstretched in all directions, and waited. They had told him he had no visitation rights until they had checked him for danger, which would probably take them at least three days. Three days meant the love potion would have a firm grip on him by the time he'd get out. He knew that by that time, he would be convinced that not only Kurogane hated him, but that Syaoran, having been a bit more attached to the ninja than to him, would have developed contempt towards him as well. It meant he would start to resent having fallen in love with Kurogane. He didn't want that. He never wanted to resent this.

Tears welled in his eyes again, for the fourth time since they had put him here. If the situation wasn't so ridiculous, he would allow himself to be sad. But as it was, he just felt pathetic. Kurogane didn't love him and he was pathetic. One more reason there would never be anything between them. He had probably already destroyed their friendship for good.

He put his forearm over his eyes, rubbing the tears away and leaving it there. They were all he was smelling and tasting for a while now, and he hadn't cared about the prickly feeling they left when they dried. His head was now throbbing again, though this time dull as opposed to the sharp, immediate pain Cordelia had caused.

When he heard light steps of two people, he thought the guards were just going their rounds again, checking up on their captives. But then he actually listened to the almost inaudible feather-light, obviously elegant gait, and there was no doubt about the identity of the person any more. Fai would recognize that gait anywhere.

He quickly sat up, waited for the slight onslaught of dizziness to pass, and rushed to his feet and towards the shield. The absence of bars gave him a much clearer look of the hall and if the gait hadn't given him away, the way Fai's heart clenched painfully definitely did.

Kurogane strode right towards him, followed by Lydia, and when he saw Fai looking out from his cell, Fai thought he saw his face relax a little. But then again, Fai had naively read a lot of things Kurogane did wrong since the beginning. He had made himself believe the ninja actually cared.

Fai just hoped he could morph his own features into neutral ones. He didn't want to become a bother. The part of him that had tried to argue against the negativity spreading in him had long become very distant and small. So while he wanted nothing more than for Kurogane to kiss him, he didn't think he deserved it. Anything of the good things he had gotten since they had begun their journey together. Hell, Fai didn't want to be this pathetic.

Kurogane and Lydia had finally reached him, standing just a breath's length away, but still so distant, the shield between them almost separating them into different worlds.

"What are you doing here?" Fai asked. He certainly hadn't expected them to seek him out so soon. He had thought they'd wait the three days to avoid any more trouble, since Fai wasn't really worth it all.

"I..." Kurogane started, but then he hesitated, his face blank and guarded, and Lydia was shooting him meaningful glances he was ignoring. Fai didn't understand any of it. But he had one thing to tell them.

"Cordelia tried to eat my eyes," he blurted before other depressing thoughts could pull him under again. Judging from their identical surprised expressions, Cordelia seemed to have convinced them of her made up story, whatever it was that she had told them. "She knocked me out and tried to steal my magic."

Kurogane's face morphed into something resembling dread. "Shit. Syaoran and Mokona are still there."

"I don't think you'll be able to beat her alone. Her magic... she has already stolen magic from people. You need to help me get out of here," Fai said. After thinking about it, this was the only way. His magic, without trying to sound conceited, was strong. Strong enough to stop Cordelia, who had probably stolen from average magicians before. But for this to work...

"I'll break down this shield, but I'll have to recover for a bit afterward, so you'll have to support me," he warned them. Kurogane and Lydia both nodded, stepping back and to the side, waiting.

There was nothing to it. Fai concentrated again and this time, thankfully, he could use his preferred style of magic—he drew sigils in the air in a half-circle around himself, and when he was done, he pushed them towards the shield. It rattled and the earth shook the tiniest bit, until the shield gave a whirring sigh and the glow broke away.

Fai let out a breath and collapsed, but the impact with the ground never came when two strong arms wound around him and caught him. He was hoisted up bridal-style and jostled as Kurogane made his way across the hall. There was some commotion, but Fai was too exhausted to really take it in.

Until the cool night air softly settled on his skin, breeze brushing through his hair, and they stood in front of the _Sunbright Inn_ again, the sun mocking them with its smile, daring them to enter the lion's den.

Fai gently patted against Kurogane's chest, gesturing to let him down, even when it felt incredibly good to be cradled like that. It felt like his heart shattered a bit at a time when he realized he would probably never get the chance to be held by Kurogane again, after what he was about to do.

Feet firmly on the ground, still standing close to the ninja, Fai finally looked into his crimson eyes, glinting like a warning and promise at once in the dark.

"Kurogane..." Fai started, but his voice broke at the third syllable, so he tried again, but it didn't get better. "Kuro-gane... I... I'm so sorry for asking this of you... I really am. I don't want to force you to do anything you really don't want to do, but... but these are Syaoran-kun and Moko-chan... and... my magic is now completely out of control after the break-out... I..."

He took a deep breath, brushing a stray tear from his cheek. "I need you to kiss me."

He heard Lydia behind him gasp, but Kurogane stayed silent for an agonizingly long moment, before a small smile played around his lips. Fai's eyes automatically zeroed in on them, captivated. Suddenly, Kurogane's hand was in his hair, the other cupping his cheek, and Kurogane pulled Fai in unhurriedly, tilted his head, until their lips met and Fai sighed from the anticipation and surprise at the contact, even though he saw it coming.

Kurogane's lips moved against his and before Fai knew it, he had closed his eyes and put his own hands on Kurogane's shoulders to steady himself. It felt incredible, it tasted so uniquely of everything that made up Kurogane—his unyielding desire to protect, his strength of heart, the persistence with which he fulfilled his duties... it was so wonderful and Fai was the one to receive it. But when Kurogane's tongue swept over his lips, prodding against them to be let in, Fai broke the kiss and took a step back, apologetic expression on his face.

"I'm sorry. We need to go save our friends."

There was nothing to argue against it.

* * *

What they were met with when they entered the basement was nothing short of nauseating. The memory of hanging at the wall right where Syaoran was now shackled was still fresh in Fai's mind. The boy was gagged and not put under the stunning potion Fai had been given, but the shackles still did their job; he was struggling against them. Mokona had been bound to the laboratory desk by a spell, the tell-tale shimmering giving it away. She wailed pitifully. And Cordelia was casually leaning against said table, right beside Mokona, as if she had been waiting for them, an evil smirk on her face.

"What took you so long?" she drawled, pushing herself off the table and stretched. She didn't seem to be worried at all. "I was getting bored by these two."

Fai could feel Kurogane tense beside him, but he was smart enough not to fall for the provocation. Fai had to tread very carefully from here on out, or he wouldn't be able to stop her. The spell he wanted to cast would take a bit to write, and Cordelia would try to stop him as soon as she saw what he was doing.

"I trusted you." Lydia came forward from where she had hid behind them before. It didn't only surprise Cordelia, but also Fai, who wouldn't have expected this shy girl to step up. "I trusted you and you used me."

Cordelia stared at her for a moment, but then she chuckled. "Oh, silly. This is how it works, Liddy. I manipulate you to get what I want. Or would you have so willingly brought me all those magicians if you had known the truth?"

"You made me a part of this, and because of you I'll never... I'll never forgive myself!" Lydia screeched at the last part and threw herself at Cordelia, hands glowing and balls of energy flying. Cordelia was fighting back in an instant, white balls of energy flying around the room, thankfully not straying anywhere near Syaoran or Mokona.

For a moment, Fai was dumbstruck. Lydia, that shy girl that had stuttered when talking to him was moving quick and purposeful; her movements were smooth and swift, and she had an excellent balance, never staggering or stumbling as they both destroyed a table near the entrance and a whole shelf full of potions and ingredients, the contents spilling all over the adjoining shelves and the floor. Her fighting skills were, to be frank, extraordinarily good. But so were Cordelia's. That woman had something more striking about the way she fought back. She was as smooth and swift as Lydia, but her movements were more sharp and pronounced, almost vicious. Her slack face, however, showed that she wasn't straining herself too much, while Lydia's expression was scrunched up in concentration. They weren't equally matched—Cordelia just didn't take Lydia seriously, underestimating the girl.

"Mage, she's distracting her—do whatever you need to _now_!" Kurogane hissed at him urgently, and Fai complied without hesitation. He began drawing the sigils, carefully placing each of them in the right order, avoiding any mistake he might have made. At one point, Kurogane had to pull him down with him to avoid a ball of magic energy hitting them, but right after that, Fai was ready. As ready as he would ever be.

"Lydia, _duck!_" Fai yelled and pushed both his hands forward, watching the way the sigils blended into a white glowing line darting towards Cordelia. Lydia managed to dive down in time, but Cordelia didn't. His magic hit her right in the heart and her arms immediately dropped to her sides. Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, she crumpled to the floor.

While Lydia scrambled to her feet, Fai and Kurogane both hurried towards Syaoran and Mokona and freed them. Fai almost cried in relief when he found they were both all right, Syaoran only coughing and spit a little against the residual tingling of the gag. Mokona jumped into Fai's chest and he cuddled her close, then proceeded to give Syaoran a quick but tight hug.

"What did you do to her?" Lydia asked as she approached them. "She isn't moving."

"I stunned her," Fai said, grinning—and boy, did it feel _nice _to be able to pull the corners of his mouth upwards again, "completely. Not that half-assed stunning she was doing."

Mokona squealed and hugged Fai's face. "You smiled!"

"I did," he said, smiling down at her and kissing her on the head, which made her squeal again in delight.

"You found a counter for the potion?" Syaoran asked. He was smiling as well, happy their problems had been solved this quickly. And Fai... well, Fai hadn't had the time to feel relief until now, and all of a sudden, he felt the relief rush through him and he deflated visibly, pushing out a sigh as his shoulders sagged and he fell against Kurogane, who hadn't left his side through all of this and was now worming an arm around him to stop him from falling. It was nice to just let go the breath he had been holding ever since he woke up from fainting.

"Yeah, we did," Kurogane answered for Fai, which was good, because Fai didn't think he could answer right now. He was so _exhausted_. And Kurogane's arm around him, pushing him into the ninja's side, felt warm and nice and if Fai wasn't careful, he'd fall asleep right then and there.

"Well, I told Kurogane-san, and then Fai-san asked..." Lydia tossed in innocently, ignoring the confused looks Syaoran and Mokona gave her.

"Told what, asked what?" Mokona chirped, ears pointed and attentive. For that, Fai found the energy to chuckle.

"You can drill your mage and ninja about that later, once you've successfully fled," Lydia replied, looking a little wistful. It didn't came as a surprise for Fai. Breaking out of the magic prison wasn't exactly an act they could explain away. They had to go.

Right on cue, Mokona flew up into the air and her eyes started to glow. It was time to go, one way or another. Mokona's way was certainly more convenient.

"What's happening?" Lydia asked, looking only slightly panicked, but Fai smiled at her, which, apparently, still made her blush.

"We have to go," he said, "This means goodbye."

"Oh." Lydia looked at them forlornly, but then a small smile crept on her face. "Goodbye. I hope someday we'll see each other again, maybe. And don't worry about that bitch, I'll take care of that."

Kurogane gave her a curt nod, acknowledgment that he appreciated what she had done for them, and Syaoran gave her a wave.

"I hope you've learned your lesson about love," Fai said, grinning, and Lydia smiled back.

"Trust me, I'll never force something like that ever again!"

Mokona's light enveloped them all, and with a puff, the world around them disappeared.


	5. Epilogue

The new world they landed in was pleasantly void of humans. The huge palm trees, hot and humid climate and wild, untrimmed vegetation reminded Fai of the world with the humanoid bunnies that had initially wanted to cook Fai as a meal. Currently, though, he was preoccupied with enduring the stare Kurogane was now gracing him with for hell knew how long already. Syaoran and Mokona had taken the hint and left them to sort things out, but here they were, Kurogane just staring at him and Fai trying hard not to grin at the ninja.

Eventually, he cracked and started laughing, and hell did it feel liberating after all those long hours of not being able to do that. He laughed so hard that he latched on Kurogane, leaning his forehead against the ninja's chest, and rode it out.

"Are you done?" Kurogane growled, but places a hand on Fai's back, steady and firm, as if to make sure Fai would stay.

"I'll never be done with you," Fai joked, though he did mean it. He would never be done with Kurogane. He would never be able to stop his feeling from running this deep for the ninja. It had been bound to happen. After all that Kurogane had done for him, the many times they had fought together, after Kurogane had cut off his arm just to save Fai, without even missing a beat, Fai had to be a really heartless man not to fall for the ninja.

"About what happened," Kurogane started, pushing Fai into his chest, flush against him, causing Fai's heart to skip a beat. "I'm glad you asked."

Fai burrowed his head in the crook of Kurogane's neck, breathing in. His arms came around Kurgane's neck, just holding on. He supposed he could do that now? Kurogane hadn't pushed him away, which Fai hadn't expected anyway. Now that he was thinking clearly again, free of the effects of the love potion, there was no need for him to make up false excuses why Kurogane hated him. He knew the ninja didn't.

"The feeling is mutual, by the way," Kurogane continued, sounding very embarrassed. Fai was sure he was embarrassed. Kurogane rarely talked about _feelings_. It was probably hard as hell for him to do so now. Fai smiled into the side of Kurogane's neck.

"I know," he replied, his smile growing wider as he heard Kurogane stutter.

"How- what? I thought you..."

"I was under the love potion, remember? I couldn't help the negativity," Fai said, then whispered, "I know you love me."

He was suddenly being squeezed to within an inch of his life. "Why the hell didn't you say so _sooner_?!" Despite the cursing he sounded happy, smile audible, and Fai couldn't repress the urge to plant a kiss to Kurogane's neck.

"It was fun to tease you," he replied, then leaned back a little to take in the faint blush across Kurogane's cheeks. "I love you."

For the second time, Kurogane's hands cupped Fai's face, only this time, there was nothing sweet and careful about it as he practically smashed their lips together. It was hot and wet, their tongues dancing against each other and lips moving urgently, as if they had waited for this all this time. Fai brushed his hand through Kuroganes hair, moaning into the kiss and letting out a surprised gasp when Kurogane's hand pushed under his shirt to roam over his bare back. Despite the humid air, Fai shuddered at the touch.

"Kyaa, mommy and daddy are making out! It's true~ love~"

Fai moved back quickly, but Kurogane stopped him from stepping away, holding him close. He turned in the embrace until his side was against Kurogane's chest to smile awkwardly at Mokona, who was sitting on top of a huge leaf of one of the bushes all around them. He loved the little furry ball, he really did, but right now he just wanted to send her away.

Syaoran stood behind her, face flushed red and eyes anywhere but on Kurogane and Fai. It was cute and funny, really.

"Uhm," Syaoran said, looking like a lost puppy, the poor kid.

"C'mon, _daddy_, our kids need us," Fai teased, eliciting a growl Kurogane didn't really mean, before they both joined their "kids", getting into their usual routine of exploration. The only thing missing now was Sakura-chan, but Fai had a feeling they would see her soon.

Now this... this Fai could definitely get used to.

* * *

**A/N: **And that's it. Thank you all for following and reviewing! It's been fun to write, though a little hectic at the end because as always, my procrastination caused some pressure to finish on time. Thanks for reading! You're awesome! :D


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